Information on the Journey

While resting in Quebec, we get an Ethiopian visa valid for 6 months (very difficult to get abroad). Then, I leave for Tanzania where I get the vehicle back. For a few weeks, I make changes on the van: installation of an electric fridge, installation of a roof rack, complete mechanical checkup. Later, Gitane comes to join me in Nairobi, Kenya, and we begin the trip.

Our journey starts with the area around Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya. Then we spent almost 3 months in Ethiopia with a small visit in Djibouti. Afterwards, we travel down to Namibia with a few stops in Zambia along the way. We don't explore East Africa since I already visited most of it. After several weeks in Namibia, we go down as far as Cape Town. After a few days in Cape Town, Gitane's trip ends and she goes back to Quebec.

For the rest of this journey that I continue on my own, see Cape Town to Tanzania 2014-2015.

Some data

Travelling with Gitane

Regions visited:	Kenya (Turkana), Ethiopia, Djibouti, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa (western region)
When?	September 2013 to May 2014

Timeline:

Kenya	1 month 7 days
Ethiopia	2 months 3 days
Djibouti	10 days
Ethiopia	21 days
Zambia	11 days
Namibia	2 months
South Africa	1 month 5 days

Travel Time:	8 months 1 day
Not travelling:

Total:	8 months 1 day

The best

Kenya	Lake Turkana.
Ethiopia	Ethiopian people - the food - Lalibela - Omo Valley - Simien Mountains - Danakil - churches around Tigray - Harar.
Djibouti	Lake Assal.
Zambia	Victoria Falls - scenery during the rainy season.
Namibia	Etosha National Park - Kaokoveld - Damaraland - Cape Cross - Sossusvlei.
South Africa	All the Cape Town region.

The worst

Kenya	45-50 degrees Celsius at Lake Turkana.
Ethiopia	Ethiopian children (yes, people are either very nice or irksome; especially rural children.
Djibouti	Unbearable heat, the country seems dying and run down.
Zambia	During the rainy seasons, parks are difficult to drive to.
Namibia	Distances are huge.
South Africa	---

Technical Data

Travellers with a Canadian passport.

Kenya (September 2013)

VISA	Obtained at the border or airport. $US 50 for 3 months. Road tax of $US 50 for 3 months or $US 20 for 1 month.
CURRENCY	Kenyan Shilling - $US 1 = 87 KES
INSURANCE	COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL	$US 1.20-1.30 / litre

Ethiopia (October 2013)

VISA	Almost impossible to get on the road - obtained in home country - $US 35, 6 months, multiple entries.
CURRENCY	Ethiopian Birr - $US 1 = 18.35 ETB
INSURANCE	COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL	$US 0.95 / litre

Djibouti (December 2013)

VISA	Djiboutian embassy in Addis Ababa. $US 130 for 1 month.
CURRENCY	Djiboutian Franc - $US 1 = 178.5 DJF
INSURANCE	COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL	$US 1.26 / litre

Zambia (January 2014)

VISA	At the border. $US 50 for 1 month. Taxes of $US 62 (depend on km and border posts).
CURRENCY	Zambian Kwacha - $US 1 = 5.52 ZMW
INSURANCE	COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL	$US 1.66

Namibia (February 2014)

VISA	At the border, 3 months, free. Road tax of $US 20.
CURRENCY	Namibian Dollar - $US 1 = 10.8 NAD
INSURANCE	None (not needed?).
DIESEL	$US 1.20

South Africa (April 2014)

VISA	At the border, 3 months, free. No road tax.
CURRENCY	South African Rand - $US 1 = 10.56 ZAR
INSURANCE	None (not needed?).
DIESEL	$US 1.30